Ruddle to head GenieBelt UK

Copenhagen, Denmark-based GenieBelt, the mobile-first developer of cloud-based construction software, has appointed Jason Ruddle as managing director of its new UK operation with effect from April 2018.

GenieBelt has historically retained strong personal connections with the UK. When I first talked in detail about the company (October 2014), my initial contacts were with one-time Davis Langdon QS and project manager Gari Nickson, and it had appointed former Woobius founder, architect and SaaS and app user experience expert Bob Leung as part of the GenieBelt team. The company claims its platform is now used on over 20,000 projects in over 100 countries.

I have been hearing rumours about a GenieBelt UK launch for at least a year, and it seems it’s finally going to happen. GenieBelt CEO Ulrik Branner says: “The recruitment of Jason Ruddle marks an exciting and important step in our global expansion. Jason’s experience and knowledge of the UK market will bring significant benefits to us in delivering transparency and efficiency to the construction industry.”

Ruddle joins GenieBelt from AIM-listed Elecosoft, the provider of Asta Powerproject, and has over 25 years’ experience in construction software. He was appointed head of sales for Asta in 2013, and from January 2015 to December 2017 was MD of the Thame, Oxfordshire-based Elecosoft UK. While he was at Elecosoft, Asta launched its mobile PowerProject Site Progress app, complementing its desktop solution (a Citrix-based SaaS option is also available). Other Elecosoft applications include IconSystem, a cloud-based asset management solution deployed by several major UK retailers; the Market Harborough, Leicestershire-based business was acquired by Elecosoft in October 2016 for £2.4m (I wrote about Icon back in 2009).